By Brooke Curley
brooke@gilavalleycentral.net
SAFFORD – The Earth is a gift to all, but few choose to care for it. Southeastern Arizona Clean and Beautiful (SEACAB) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on caring for the local environment and aiding individuals in the community who cannot aid themselves. Now the organization is looking for some members to help it help others.
SEACAB is looking for volunteers to join their ranks or just pitch in during an event or clean up activity.
Working quietly and effectively, SEACAB does a cornucopia of services to the community, from cleaning up wildcat dumping in rural areas to aiding those who cannot afford to clean up their own lands without help. SEACAB, which was created by octogenarian Jay Rasco, works mainly by volunteers and donations or grants. Without volunteers, SEACAB cannot function to play its part in the community.
Rasco told Gila Valley Central that summertime weeds are everywhere and that with the work of volunteers he will be able to help those who can’t help themselves.
“There are many things I can use volunteers for that will make the community looks nicer,” Rasco said. “Weeds grow along the canals creating fire hazards, so we try to keep those down. There are weeds growing everywhere and lots of trash on both public and private property. I work with the city to clean yards for the sick or poor or the elderly who need their yards cleaned if they can’t afford to hire someone to do it.”
Rasco said he is not choosy when it comes to the availability of volunteer labor.
“I can and will use volunteers any and every day of the week,” he said. “Now that the hot weather is here, it is best to start early to beat the heat, but if they want to work later, that will work for me. All of the work I ask them to do is to help SEACAB to improve the looks of our community.”
Not only does SEACAB aid the elderly and the sick, but Rasco also wants to work with a local food bank in the growth of its garden. By using recycled wood chips, SEACAB aims to create natural mulch that the Our Neighbor’s Farm & Pantry can then use in its garden to conserve water and grow a more bountiful yield for those in need.
“I have several small wood chippers that I can run weeds through and make mulch and wood chips for Our Neighbor’s Farm & Pantry, which feeds 6000 people a year,” Rasco said.
If an individual can use a rake or shovel, they can volunteer with SEACAB. Rasco told Gila Valley Central that basic yard work is the rudimentary element of most of the volunteer work, however, Rasco would appreciate the aid of a mechanic, tree trimmer and welder. To dip one’s volunteering toe in the water, there is an upcoming Bike Trail Blitz on June 10, where multiple individuals in the community will gather to clean up litter.
To volunteer or for more information call SEACUS at (928) 235-1861.